Touch-regulator for pianos.



N0. 727,348 PATENTED M AY 5,1903

M. G'OGGAN.

TOUCHREGULATOR FOR PIANOS.

APPLICATION rump JULY 29, 1902.

UNITED STATES.

Patented May 5, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL GOGGAN, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THOMASGOGGAN AND JOHN GOGGAN, OF GALVESTON, TEXAS.

TOUCH-REGULATOR FOR PIANOS.

PE IFIGATION forming part'of iretters Patent No:727,34s, dated May 5,1903.

Application filed July 29, 1902. Serial No. 117,518. (No model.)

Zo aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it knownthat I, MICHAEL GOGGAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, haveinvented a new and useful Touch- Regulator for Pianos, of which thefollowing With this and other objects inview the in vention consists inthe novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed outirrthe appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse sectional elevation through aportion of the keyboard of a musical instrument provided with atouch-regulator in accordance with'my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan viewof the same, a portion of the keys being brokenaway to more clearlyillustrate the construction of'the.

adjustable regulator. Fig. 3 is a detail per spective view of one of thekey-springs.

Similar numerals of reference are employed bar when the latter is formedof wood, I employ a centrally-disposed strengthening-bar 14, of steel orother material.

To the central portion of the cross-bar is In order to prevent Warpingof the cross-- secured a depending arm 15, which extends throughasuitable opening 16 in thekeyboard-support and at its lower end isswiveled to the rear end 17 of an adjusting-screw 17, which fits withina nut 18, and at its outer end is provided with a knob 19, arrangedwithin convenient reach of the performer, the

turning of'thesc'rew in either direction causing a swinging movement ofthe bar 12 on its hinges or pivots 13.

To the upper surface of the bar 12 are socured a number of springs 20, ascrew or other securing device 21 being passed through the 'upperportionof each spring at a point on each side of the strengthening-bar 14 inorder that the springs may be more securely held in place. A separatespring is used for each of the keys, the lower rear ends of said springsbearing against small strips of felt 22, ar-

ranged on the upper surface of each key.

By turning the screw 17in either direction the spring may be depressedwith greater or less force against the keys, so that more or lesspressure will berequired todepress the keys, as'desired by theperformer. It has been found best in practice to employ the flat-stripsprings illustrated in'the'drawings,

owing to the greater uniformity in temper and elasticity which theypossess "and the ease with which such springs 'may be secured inposition. The adjusting-screw isplaced at a convenient position,preferably a trifle to one side of the center of the keyboard, and

where the depending arm 15 passes down between the keys it becomesnecessary to offset the keys, as indicated in Fig. 2.

While the construction herein described and illustrated in-theaccompanying drawings is the preferred form of the device, it is thekey-levers, a depending arm secured to said bar and extending through anopening in the keyboard-support, an adjusting-screw having one endswiveled to the arm, and a stationary nut engaging with said screw.

2. The combination with a musicalinstruinenthavingakeyboard,ofapivotally-meunted bar 12 extending acrossall of the keys, a strengthening-bar 14 forming a part of said pivotedbar, springs 20 connected to the pivoted bar and having their lower rearends engaging strips on the rear ends of the key-levers, a depending arm15 secured to the piv-

